


The Last Time I Saw Enid

by kisstheprincessofpurewhite



Category: Amelia Peabody - Elizabeth Peters
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Gen, I am screaming into the void with this fic but it needed to be made, Pre-Canon, gross fluff, if you read this welcome, its my favorite amelia story, lion in the valley, mention of Haggard, mention of Ronald/Enid, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-19 23:29:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11908467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisstheprincessofpurewhite/pseuds/kisstheprincessofpurewhite
Summary: Before he was Nemo, he was Donald. And before she was Miss Debenham, she was Enid. The last exchange between them was short, sweet even, and not nearly satisfactory.





	The Last Time I Saw Enid

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo this takes place before Donald went off to join the military and then Ronald ruined his life. This is a dramatized version of what I think they're last exchange could've been. Sorry if its terrible, I'm just doing my best.

“Why do you read such novels?” Enid asked, she was reclining against a sofa, watching Donald from across the room.

“Whatever do you mean?” Donald asked. He pretended to keep reading, but instead used the book to hide his smirk.

Enid stood and crossed the room to take the book from his hands. Donald reclined further on his own sofa, looking up at the girl through his eyelashes. Enid gave a small smile and a side glance at him then read the cover of the book aloud.

“King Solomon’s Mines, good gad, Donald,” she said. “What on earth could be endearing about that?”

Donald shrugged. “I enjoy them.”

She sat next to him as she opened the book and began reading the first few pages. “How can you gain anything of value from this?”

Donald sat up and slid closer to her so that his leg brushed her skirt. Enid glanced down at the contact, but did not say anything. Donald, evidently, did not seem to notice how indecently close to her he was, otherwise he would have moved.

“This man, Allan Quatermain, is hunting in Durban when he is approached by Sir Henry Curtis to find his long lost brother, who has gone to find the lost mines of King Solomon,” explained Donald enthusiastically.

“Sounds rather fantastical to me.”

Donald looked up from the book, and realized how close they were. He seemed at a loss for words for a moment before looking and moving away. Enid herself looked to the other side of the library where they were sitting rather than at Donald, and scolded herself for not moving away sooner.

“Um, your locket is very nice, is it new?” said Donald, who was now getting off the couch to sit on the bench by the desk near the window.

Enid’s hand flew to her neck, and her cheeks colored a bright red. She had forgotten to stuff the necklace in her blouse before she visited the house. She felt very self-conscious right then and hoped to goodness he would not ask her whose picture she kept inside.

“Oh, um, no, I found it among my mother’s belongings. It- it has a picture of my father inside,” she lied.

“How sentimental,” said Donald. “How lovely.”

Silence fell over the two of them. Enid passed her hands over the cover of the book in her hands.

“Donald,” she said suddenly, and the young man turned to face her. Enid could not help but stare for a moment. With the sunlight streaming in through the window and catching off his copper colored hair, he looked like a painting of the angel Gabriel.

“Yes, Enid?” he said.

Enid swallowed at the sound of her name passing from his lips. The fact that he called her “Enid” just now, and not “Miss Debenham” gave her hope that she barely wished to have. “When did you say you were leaving?”

“For training? Soon, a month from now.”

“Do write, will you? If they allow you to do so in the military.”

Donald let out a chuckled. “I’m sure they do. They could scarcely stop me.”

“And we will all be eagerly waiting your return.”

“I’m sure it will be just you ‘eagerly waiting.’ I highly doubt Ronald will even notice I am away.”

“Nevertheless, I will be waiting for you to come home safe.” Enid felt her ears bloom with heat, and scolded herself for her own impertinent tongue. “Please promise me you will come home safe, Donald.”

Donald strode forwards and held out his hand for her to take. She did so. “I doubt there will be anything stopping me from having a long and successful career. We are not at war, and I doubt we intend to be so anytime soon.”

“Promise me.”

“I cannot, Enid. Tragedies do occur.”

“To other people, but not you.”

“This isn’t a Haggard novel, Enid.” Donald smiled, and Enid did too despite the tears blossoming in her eyes.

A knock on the door caused Donald to drop her hand and clear his throat. Enid let the appendage fall into her lap. Donald bade the newcomer welcome, and the butler walked in. Enid took this moment to dab her eyes with a handkerchief.

“An urgent telegram from Master Ronald, sir,” he said, and extended the note on a tray.

Donald took it and opened it, moving over to his desk.

“Would you like refreshment, Miss Debenham?” asked the butler.

“Oh, no thank you, I’m just fine,” said Enid.

“Please leave us,” said Donald, and the butler did.

Enid crossed the room as she spoke: “What is it Donald?”

“Ronald has apparently got himself into a jam.” Donald rubbed at his temples as he set the letter down.

Enid made a face at this. She knew she shouldn't press the issue, and yet- “You mean of course, ‘Ronald has gotten himself into a jam again.’”

“Perhaps you should go, Enid. I must go up to London.”

“Of course you will go to him. Heaven forbid Ronald should scuff his shoe without crying, and you run to him with an extra pair.”

“Leave it alone, Enid.” Donald’s voice was calm, but his eyes flashed.

“I will not. I know you-“

“Confound it, Enid! I am not in the mood to argue!” Donald slumped into his chair, his hand covering his eyes. Her blood was hot, but she also knew it was a mistake to questions his actions towards his brother. 

“I’m sorry, D- Mr. Fraser,” said Enid. “It was wrong of me to speak out of turn.”

“Please do not call me Mr. Fraser, Enid. You make me sound like an old man.” Donald’s lips twisted into a small, sad smile as he spoke.

 “We are not children anymore.”

Donald eyed her up and down. “You especially so. I expect we shall hear wedding bells anyway now.”

Enid let out a laugh. “Not for a few more years, hopefully.”

“Any man would be lucky to have you. A nobleman, a tradesman, a merchant even.”

“Or a military officer?” Enid could barely keep the words to herself. She had to look away before he answered.

“Y- yes, I suppose they would be worthy of you as well.”

Silence once again fell between them.

"I apologize, Miss Debenham, for shouting, it was- unbecoming," Donald said, smoothing out his hair and checking his watch. 

"It's quite alright, I have no right to question your actions. You know best." She also checked her watch, just for an excuse to leave. “I will be going, Donald. Write to me once you get to London?”

“I shall.”

Enid remembered hurrying out and waiting awkwardly for her carriage. She remembered hoping for a day when Ronald would not be first in his brother's affections. She should have stayed. She should have convinced Donald that Ronald needed to face consequences. Then maybe, maybe he would still be alive to her, maybe even hers. But not anymore. 

**Author's Note:**

> Half the reason I wrote this was so there would actually be a fic for these two, because I love them. Lion in the Valley is my favorite Amelia Peabody and it doesn't get nearly enough credit, ok? I mean, Ramses/Nefret are always dope, Amelia/Emerson are goals, and Walter/Evelyn are sweet af, but sometimes I just need two starcrossed lovers who just want to move to the countryside and read terrible novels until they die of old age. To me, that is Enid and Donald. So if you read this and enjoy it, welcome, welcome, please post your own Enid/Donald fics so that we may cultivate a small garden for posterity. They don't even have to be that good, I mean, this wasn't that good and I still did it. You're welcome.


End file.
